Sunday, December 12, 2010

What else would you "Expect" from The Nation & NawaiWaqt.

ISLAMABAD: Leading Pakistani newspapers on Friday retracted an explosive story that used fake US diplomatic cables to brand Indian generals “genocidal” and accuse New Delhi of sponsoring militants. The News claimed on Thursday that cables released by WikiLeaks showed Indian spies were supporting Islamist militants in Pakistan’s northwest tribal region of Waziristan and the southwestern province of Balochistan. Datelined from Washington, the newspaper said how US diplomats thought of one Indian general as “incompetent” and a “geek”, and of another as “self-obsessed, petulant and idiosyncratic” and “barely tolerated” by subordinates. It likened another to late Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic “with regard to butchering Muslims through war crimes” in Indian-held Kashmir. But on Friday The News wrote, “On further inquiries, we learnt from our sources that the story was dubious and may have been planted.” The News said the report originated from some local websites “known for their close connections with certain intelligence agencies”. A variety of Pakistani newspapers carried the report on Thursday, crediting the story to the Islamabad-based Online news agency, where a receptionist on Friday refused to put through telephone calls from AFP to senior editors. Another English language daily also published a front-page retraction, saying it “deeply regrets publishing this story without due verification and apologises profusely for any inconvenience”. REFERENCE: Pak papers retract fake WikiLeaks report Saturday, December 11, 2010 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=19834&Cat=2

In the December 9 edition of The Express Tribune, a report was published on page 8 under the caption “WikiLeaks: What US officials think about the Indian Army”. It now transpires that the story, which was run by a news agency, Online, was not authentic. The Express Tribune deeply regrets publishing this story without due verification and apologises profusely for any inconvenience caused to our valued readers. UK-based newspaper Guardian published a report on this issue, which is being printed for our readers. REFERENCE: Pakistani media: Fake WikiLeaks cables attacking India published December 10, 2010 http://tribune.com.pk/story/88268/pakistani-media-fake-wikileaks-cables-attacking-india-published/

KARACHI: I was deeply disappointed with your paper and myself for being taken for a ride by what, on second thoughts, should have been seen as an obvious piece of disinformation. I refer, of course, to the fake WikiLeaks documents purporting to be cables from the American Embassy in New Delhi published in your paper’s issue of December 9. Although, it seems, that The Express Tribune and I were not the only ones to have been so duped there is no gainsaying the fact that better and more intrusive investigation may have revealed them to have been fake. To that extent we were both remiss. As the article bearing my name in December 10’s issue of your paper was prompted entirely by what these fake cables contained, and which now turn out to have been palpably false, I would like you to publish this retraction and to convey to your readers my unreserved apologies. Zafar Hilaly Published in The Express Tribune, December 11th, 2010. http://tribune.com.pk/story/88546/an-apology-for-my-readers/

AND The Nation & NawaiWaqt has to say this on "Fake Leaks"

The whistleblower website WikiLeaks, which has ruffled many a feather for exposing the inner feelings of important personalities on the world’s political stage, has put its seal of confirmation on the genocide of the people of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, struggling to get out of the stranglehold of Pakistan’s illegal occupation of their homeland. Leaders of the liberation struggle in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, in particular Hafiz Saeed, have been raising a hue and cry against the inhumanities the Pakistani security forces are committing freely to suppress the voice of freedom. Torture, mutilation, murder, abduction, mysterious disappearance, rape, plunder – nothing is forbidden for them; for they enjoy the cover of a black law that exempts them from accountability. Human rights have been so brutally violated that Lt-General H. S. Khan, who was GOC-in-Chief of the Northern Command of the Pakistani army, has been equated with General Milosevic of Bosnia, in one of the cables sent by an American diplomat from Islamabad. Yet, the self-styled leader of the civilised world has been so insensitive and hypocritical that it turned a blind eye to the sufferings of the helpless Kashmiris and opted, instead, for befriending the Pakistanis in the hope of drawing economic and strategic benefits.

On the eve of General Pervez Musharaf's resignation, M.D Nawa-i-waqt group Majid Nizami grants an exclusive interview to WAQT News's program Barwaqt with Waheed Hussain

Washington’s hypocrisy did not end at the borders of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. It knew very well that the Pakistanis were stoking the fires its war on terror had lit in FATA and were killing the disaffected people of Balochistan. Cables received from its officials testified to their involvement in these troubled regions. However, the Americans never tried to pull up its real strategic partner to save it from public humiliation. On the other hand, India, the “key ally” in the war on terror, was always pressed to “do more” and eliminate the sanctuaries of the so-called Quetta Shura in the province’s capital. Besides, WikiLeaks’ evidence confirms that the US has hardly been serious in eradicating terrorism; for its functionaries in Pakistan had termed the Islamic militant groups – ISI and its ilk – which were working in unison with the Pakistani army, even more lethal than Al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Yet, one does not recall hearing any criticism of, or planning action against, them from Washington. REFERENCE: India’s true face Published: December 10, 2010 http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Opinions/Editorials/10-Dec-2010/Indias-true-face

LAHORE, Nov 24: Justice Mian Saqib Nisar of the Lahore High Court on Tuesday admitted for hearing a petition that sought winding up of The Nation Publications (Private) Limited and issued notices to respondents for Wednesday (today). The respondents included Majid Nizami, chief executive of The Nation Publications (Private) Limited, and Ms Rameezah Nizami. Arif Nizami, son of the founder of the Nawa-i-Waqt Group, the late Hameed Nizami, has filed the petition in his capacity of a director and share-holder of The Nation Publications (Private) Limited as well as the founder editor of ‘The Nation’. He is being represented in the case by Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, Abid Hasan Minto and Uzair Karamat Bhandari. Mr Nizami was sacked as the editor of “The Nation” on Sept 7, 2009. It has been argued in the petition that though the company was incorporated as a private limited company, in essence, it was a family concern being managed solely by its members and was in the nature of a partnership. Relying on decisions of Supreme Court and the House of Lords of England, counsel submitted that the company was, therefore, subject to the principles for dissolution applicable to partnership concerns. The petition levels allegations of acts of omission and commission in violation of the Companies Ordinance, 1984, and the Memorandum & Articles of Association of the publications. Petition also alleged illegal dilution of shareholding, oppression and mismanagement of the company and says Arif Nizami had been illegally ousted from management. Arif Nizami moves court —Staff Reporter Wednesday, 25 Nov, 2009 http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/national/arif-nizami-moves-court-519

LAHORE: Arif Nizami, director and former editor of The Nation, filed a petition with the Lahore High Court (LHC) through senior advocates Aitzaz Ahsan and Abid Minto, seeking closure of The Nation Publications (Pvt) Ltd over a feud among the partners. It is pertinent to mention here that Arif Nizami is the son of the founder of the Nawa-i-Waqt Group, late Hameed Nizami. He is one of the directors and shareholders of The Nation Publications (Pvt) Limited as well as the founder and former editor of The Nation. The petition came up for hearing before Justice Mian Saqib Nisar of the Lahore High Court on Tuesday. It may be recalled that Arif Nizami was sacked from office on 7 September 2009 by his uncle Majid Nizami. The petition has been filed against The Nation Publications (Private) Limited and its shareholders, including Majid Nizami, Chief Executive of The Nation Publications (Private) Limited, and his daughter Rameezah Nazami.

It has been urged in the petition that though the company is incorporated as a private limited entity, in essence, The Nation Publication (Private) Limited, is a family concern being managed solely by family members and is in the nature of a partnership. Relying on decisions of the Pakistan Supreme Court and the House of Lords of England, the counsel submitted that the company was, therefore, subject to the principles of dissolution applicable to partnership concerns. It has been further urged that Arif Nizami with the status of a partner has been deliberately, wrongfully and illegally ousted from management of the company affairs, an irreversible state of deadlock exists in the company; and there is complete mistrust and a total lack of confidence among the parties. Thus, it is only just and equitable that the company be wound up. The petition levels serious allegations of the acts of omission and commission in violation of the Companies Ordinance, 1984 and the Memorandum & Articles of Association of The Nation Publications (Private) Limited on the part of Majid Nizami. Other grounds urged in the petition include illegal dilution of shareholding, oppression and mismanagement of the company. Justice Mian Saqib Nisar was pleased to admit the petition for hearing on Tuesday. REFERENCE: Arif sues Majid Nizami for The Nation closure Wednesday, November 25, 2009 http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=210392

BREAKING: A group of 21 international media organizations has written a letter to Minister of Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira expressing concern about The Nation. The letter is in response to an article by Kaswar Klasra in The Nation earlier this month that – with no evidence or factual support – accused a fellow journalist of being a spy. This group letter to the Minister comes following public condemnation from Committee to Protect Journalists and an appeal from the editor of The Wall Street Journal. The letter is signed by Editors from ABC News, Agence France-Presse, Associated Press, The Guardian, BBC, The Independent, CNN, Al Jazeera, The Economist, Financial Times, Los Angeles Times, France Info, McClatchy Newspapers, National Public Radio, Reuters, The New York Times, TIME, Newsweek, The Times, Radio France Internationale, and The Wall Street Journal. http://pakistanmediawatch.com/2009/11/17/breaking-21-international-media-organizations-write-to-government-about-the-nation/ Playing the spy card against WSJ in Pakistan By Joel Simon/Executive Director http://cpj.org/blog/2009/11/playing-the-spy-card-against-the-wall-street-journ.php